​Lima, Peru - #027

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​Lima, the capital of Peru...

Our cruise on Celebrity Infinity Cruise Line is in port Lima which is a Peruvian seaport, located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, it is today Peru's largest city and capital.​  Lima, the capital of Peru, lies on the country's arid Pacific coast. Though its colonial center is preserved, it's a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima Metropolitan Area.

Just the activity around the port is an adventure just by it's self and ​when you're on the cruise ship, you can observe the beauty of the coast and all the many boats along the way.  It was breathtaking !!!  Any there's lots of pictures on a download that can be yours!

Our next stop will be Ecuador...

El Chorrillo - a small village...

The neighborhood of El Chorrillo sits just off the highway between Manta and Montecristi. While the latter is world famous for its panama hats, this neighborhood is best known for its sisal production. Small workshops here sell handicrafts made of sisal, and the artisans are also happy to give visitors some background on the fiber, which is made from the agave plant and used not only in sisal rugs but in bags, shoes and other items as well.  On the download - it shows a tour of their unique hands-on factory.  The people were very friendly!

There were several statues, very tall and here's one below...

We took a tour out to the farm where they actually make the panama hats - very interesting!  Every country in Latin America makes straw hats.  Colombia’s coffee region has its famous straw hat. But even more famous is Panama’s straw hat. Earthy colors, light and airy, the Panama hat has always been linked to whitewashed seaside resorts and green tropical paradises. But everyone has always credited the hat to the wrong country. The Panama hat was never made in Panama. It  has always been made in Ecuador.​ The men making the hats were called "Mantenos"!

The next part of our wonderful cruise travels to Panama which is the capital of the Colón Province, in Panama. It sits on the Caribbean coast, at the entrance to the Panama Canal. The Canal Expansion Observation Center is a park with viewing platforms over the canal’s Atlantic locks and Gatún Lake. 

The vast Colón Free Trade Zone offers tax-free shopping.  Just west of the city, at the mouth of the Chagres River, Fort San Lorenzo is a well-preserved colonial military structure. 

We took many pictures of the building as we passed through a section of town that was deteriorating in time.​  Many more photos on the download available!

We witnessed Panama’s indigenous heritage and traditions on a 6-hour tour coming here with many pictures along the way.

Finally we made our way to the Emberá village from Panama City... 

There was much to learn about the proud, pre-Colombian history of the Emberá Indians.  As we traveled upriver in a traditional dugout canoe, also experienced an authentic Emberá greeting by the local chief and to meet the local artisans and artists who had their wares setup to sell their products to us.

We were able to experience a side of Panamanian life that’s been hidden deep in the jungle of Chagres National Park where they lived in home-made huts.  

There are many pictures of the village and the people and VIDEOS of the dances and activities of the day.

After they brought all into their village in the homemade boats to witness how they actually live I thought - it was a miracle to get us all in one boat and to get there without any incident!!!

They gave us samples of their food, entertained us with the drums and musical instruments while doing their way of dancing.  Sometimes it was just the women and kids.  The small children were so cute and had a show of their own!